Medicinal applicator



'Oct. 23., 1 9.56

MEDICINAL APPLICATOR Filed March 1, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet l v INVENTOR. v IVE/L 6. h/flTERmn/Y .N. s, WATE MA 2,767,712

United States Patent MEDICINAL APPLICATOR Neil S. Waterman, Stamford, Conn.

Application March 1, 1954, Serial No. 413,270

8 Claims. (Cl. 128-261) This invention relates to vaginal applicators for applying materials within the human or animal vagina, particularly to devices designed to apply substances in proximity to the uterus.

The main object of the invention is to provide a vaginal applicator which is simple to operate by the user for introduction, ejection and remote spreading of medicinal jellies or semi-viscous materials, and which is suitably shaped for easy insertability and for comfort to the body.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a vaginal applicator which may be manufactured, filled and sealed at a central plant under sanitary conditions and which does not lend itself to refilling.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a vaginal applicator wherein a release in all directions of the contents therein and under pressure is brought about by the turning of a key or an impeller element in a clock-wise direction and on turning the key in the opposite direction, the device ceases to eject the contents; the applicator being capable of use for successive treatments until the material is exhausted.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a vaginal applicator which is made of two relatively movable parts, of non-toxic material and which requires little effort to cause all-directional distribution of the contents under substantial pressure.

A further feature of the device is economy to manufacture and utilization of inexpensive materials which are sterile to the medicinal contents whether they be viscous or semi-solid and which are sterile with respect to the contacting portions of the body.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification are drawings showing a preferred form of the invention wherein corresponding reference characters designate corresponding parts througout the several views.

According to the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal view in elevation showing the vaginal applicator in assembled form and provided }with a removable closure member.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure 1 across the plane 2-2 thereof.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view along the axis of the outer tube of the applicator.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of Figure 3 across the plane 44 thereof.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal view in elevation partly in section, showing the key or impeller element per se and adapted to cooperate and be internally disposed of the outer tube member.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the assembled vaginal applicator foreshortened showing the closure member removed and actual operation of the cooperating parts for purposes of distributing medicinal material within the device.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of Figure 6 across the plane 77 thereof.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of Figure 7 across the plane 88 thereof showing the oif position of the key or impeller element with respect to the outer tube member.

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure 8 showing a distributing position of the key or impeller element with respect to the outer tube of the applicator.

In the preferred form shown of the invention, a tapering outer tube generally indicated by numeral 10 is shown and has a reduced and rounded bottom 11 provided with a plurality of radially disposed distributor openings each indicated by numeral 12 through which the contents of the applicator are forced in all directions under pressure during operation of the device as will hereinafter appear.

At the upper half of tube 10 there is provided a gripping means such as a vertically arranged fiuting around the outer periphery and indicated by numeral 14. The open top of tube 10 is provided with an inwardly directed annular flange 15 forming with an internal annular recess 16 adjacent the tube top below said flange an upper bearing for rotation of a key or' an impeller member as will hereinafter be described.

Outer tube 10 further is provided with a longitudinal, and radially disposed internal rib or fin 17 which tapers gradually from the top and below recess 16 to the bottom 12 as best shown in Figure 3, the rib 17 serving as a stop and pressure opposing wall for distribution of the applicator contents when the parts are in assembled and in operative condition.

The outer tube 10 and its parts are preferably formed of sterile plastic by any known types of molding including injection, and includes such resilient plastics as polystyrene and polyethylene.

Adapted to cooperate with the outer tube 10 is an internally rotatable key or impeller member generally indicated by 18 and is adapted to distribute under pressure contents 13 through openings 12. The key consists of a closure disc 19 journalled or rotatable within outer tube annular recess 16 and a depending concentrically disposed tapered rod 20, said closure disc 19 having an upper, reduced and concentrically formed collar member 21 rotatable against the inner peripheral wall edge 22 of the tube flange 15 as seen in Figure 7. Above collar member 21 there is provided a finger engageable rotating knob 23 riding on the upper surface of flange 15.

Tapered rod 20 is provided with a longitudinally dis- I posed fin or rib 24 projecting radially therefrom, said rib at its outer edge 25 being concentric with and being adapted to bear and rotate against the inner wall 26 of tube 10 throughout its length, the said rib as shown tapering inwardly toward the bottom and also being wedge shaped in cross section being broader at the bearing edge for maximum surface contact with tube inner wall 16. The lower and smaller end of the impeller rod 20 is adapted to penetrate and be seated in an open bearing 27 centrally disposed at the bottom of tube 10 so that the impeller element is mounted for axial rotation between track or recess 16 and bearing 27. The impeller rib 24 has opposed faces 28 and 29 which serve respectively to force contents 13 of tube 10 through openings 12 and as a stop for rotation of impeller 18 when returned to off position.

Fin or rib 17 of tube 10 is wedge-shaped in cross section, the inner edge 30 being the narrow end and being by numerals 31 and 32 serve as stops for the faces 29 and 28 during operation as will hereinafter appear.

The impeller member 18 may similarly be made by molding and of resilient plastic as the tubular member 10 and is introduceable therein by spreading flange 15 so that member 19 may be sprung into track 16. However, before filling tube 10 and thereafter introducing impeller member 18 into tube 10, the filling or central plant applies a removable closure member 33 to the bottom tube end 11 to close the distributor openings 12. The closure cap 33 as shown is rounded and is applied and maintained by friction if desired to the lower end of the tube when it is set aside for storage purposes or after use. The closure member 33 furthermore serves as a hygienic seal for the contents when sold to the consumer, and is removable whenever the applicator is applied.

The device as described is highly efficient. By virtue of specific construction, the applicator contents 13 are forced out radially and under a pressure brought on by the volumetric displacement by a small turn of handle 23 from the outlets 12 at the reduced end of tube 10. An even and radial distribution from a central point is effected to bring about uniform and remote penetration of contents 13 into the body organs proximate to the uterus.

In use, handle 23 may be provided with arrows 34 and 35 to indicate direction of turning for off and on operation.

By reference to Figures 8 and 9, an off and operating position is shown; when the impeller or key is turned toward on position it will be observed that contents 13 are forced against side 31 of fin 17 along the length of tube 10 inducing a pressure which is relieved through the distributor openings 12.

When the user has finished with a treatment by the applicator and it is desired to store the same for additional ones with the remaining contents 13, the closure member 33 is applied, handle 23 is turned back or counterclockwise for redistribution of contents 13 within the free areas of the concentric space between rod wall 18, tubular inner wall 26 and the abutting fins 17 and 24.

Because of economy of manufacture, after contents 13 are exhausted, the applicator may be thrown away since the price thereof is almost equivalent to the packaging of ordinary pharmaceutical products.

It is distinctly understood that minor changes and variations in the shape, relative position of parts and integration may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

It is furthermore understood that the applicator may be used in conjunction with any materials viscous, semiviscous and fluid for body application through the vagina.

I claim:

1. A vaginal applicator comprising a tubular member to receive dispensing material and being open at the top and having an apertured and rounded bottom, a rib member projecting inwardly and radially from the inner surface from said tubular member and along the length thereof, an elongated rod member journalled between the top and bottom of said tubular member for concentric rotation therein, said rod member having a similar longitudinal rib member projecting outwardly and radially from said rod member and adapted during rotation to sweep the inner walls of the tubular member, a handle member attached to and extending from the top of said rod member and projecting above the tubular member, and sealing means intermediate the handle member and the tubular member, whereby on rotation of the handle member the contents within the tubular member are forced out of the apertured bottom of the tubular member under pressure.

2. In a vaginal applicator, the combination of a tubular member to receive dispensing material and being open at the top and having an apertured and rounded bottom, an internal, longitudinally disposed and radially projecting fin extending from the inner surface of said tubular member, a longitudinal key member adapted to fit the tubular member and comprising an elongated rod member jour' nalled between the top and bottom of the tubular member, a corresponding longitudinal fin member radially extending outwardly from the rod member and adapted to sweep the inner walls of the tubular member and to engage and disengage the longitudinal fin extending from the tubular member at limiting positions, whereby the contents of the tubular member are forced out of the apertured bottom during rotation of the key member.

3. A vaginal applicator comprising a tapered tubular member to receive dispensing material and being open at the top and having an apertured and rounded bottom, a key member for said tubular member journalled both at the top and at the bottom, said key member comprising an elongated and concentrically arranged tapered rod member and a radially extending rib member along the length thereof for sweeping the internal walls of the tubular member during rotation of the key member for forcing under pressure the contents of the tubular member through the apertured bottom, and a rib member projecting inwardly and radially from the inner wall of the tubular member and along the length thereof, said last mentioned rib member having a concentrically curved free edge in rotational engagement with the outer wall of the said rod member and following the taper of the said rod member.

4. A vaginal applicator comprising a tapered tubular member open at the top and having an apertured and rounded bottom, a longitudinal rib member projecting inwardly and radially from the inner surface of said tubular member and tapering toward the bottom and having a curved free edge, an elongated, tapered rod member rotatably and concentrically mounted in the tubular member at both ends and having an outward and radially projecting and tapering rib member having a curved outer edge concentric with and in slidable engagement with the inner wall of the tubular member, said rib member of the tubular member and at the inner curved edge being concentric and in rotational engagement with the rod member wall, a handle member extending from the top of the rod member and projecting above the top of the tubular member for rotating the said rod member whereby the contents of the tubular member are ejected from the apertured bottom under pressure.

5. A vaginal applicator as set forth in claim 1 having a removable sealing member for the apertured and rounded bottom of the tubular member to maintain said dispensing material therein when said applicator is not in use.

6. A vaginal applicator as set forth in claim 2 having a removable sealing member for the apertured and rounded bottom of the tubular member to maintain said dispensing material therein when said applicator is not in use.

7. A vaginal applicator as set forth in claim 3 having a removable sealing member for the apertured and rounded bottom of the tubular member to maintain said dispensing material therein when said applicator is not in use,

8. A vaginal applicator as set forth in claim 4 hav' ing a removable sealing member for the apertured and rounded bottom of the tubular member to maintain said contents therein when said applicator is not in use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,767,457 lochum June 24, 1930 2,348,468 Grace May 9, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 649,747 France Sept. 4, 1928 

